The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have impacted the children of soldiers–men and women who have been called away from their families to fight in a faraway war. In their own words, some of these children describe how their experience has marked and shaped them.
A relative has passed on and left Charlie and Lacey an inheritance–but before they can claim it, they will have to deal with a couple of ghosts, a white witch, a butler who is too good to be true, and a tragic romance from the past.
For Native children, growing up in Alaska today means dwelling in a place where traditional practices sometimes mix oddly with modern conveniences. “Children of the Midnight Sun” explores the lives of eight Alaskan Native children, each representing a unique and ancient culture. This extraordinary book also looks at the critical role elders play in teaching the young Native traditions. 40 color photos.
Describes how the Inuit built their igloos, kayaks and sledges; made their clothing and prepared their food; played games and carved objects from soapstone; and how they hunted and fished.
A study of the contemporary Yupik culture in an Alaskan village as seen through the eyes of a typical family.
Forced to use only people’s English names and not speak to his siblings at school, Shin-chi holds fast to the canoe given to him by his father, hopeful that things will then improve for his family and the tribe he loves.
Apolonia “Lina”Flores is a sock enthusiast, a volleyball player, a science lover, and a girl who’s just looking for answers. Even though her house is crammed full of books (her dad’s a bibliophile), she’s having trouble figuring out some very big questions, like why her dad seems to care about books more than her, why her best friend’s divorced mom is obsessed with making cascarones (hollowed eggshells filled with colorful confetti), and, most of all, why her mom died last year. Like colors in cascarones, Lina’s life is a rainbow of people, interests, and unexpected changes.In her first novel for young readers, Diana López creates a clever and honest story about a young Latina girl navigating growing pains in her South Texan city.
There’s always a lot of action in the Mexican American neighborhood where Mr. Lozano lives. Amelia argues with Anita; Benito loves bean burritos but not bumblebees; Hortencia and Herminia hover around like hummingbirds; and Zacarias is catching some Zs on Zachary Street. Jose Lozano’s wacky little stories and illustrations combine Mexican culture with “Sesame Street” smarts to make for a wonderful read-aloud ABC book in Spanish and English. Jose Lozano, who lives in Anaheim, California, makes his living as an elementary school teacher, but his passion is art. He is a rising star in the thriving Latino art scene in Los Angeles. “With this amusing trip through the streets of a Mexican-American neighborhood, readers will discover the lives, adventures, secrets, hobbies and special skills of a most varied gallery of personages. “With the skills of a master storyteller, Lozano creates in each page, in alphabetical order, a lively, one-paragraph portrait using words that start with the same initial letter of his characters’ names: “B is for Benito who loves baseball, bumblebees, and big bean burritos”; “I is for Isabel who likes to stay indoors, cruise the Internet and write interesting stories”; “P is for Pablo who has won many prizes for playing the piano perfectly.” (Los Otros, hermanos Tonio, Lluvia and Chuy, new to the neighborhood, haven’t yet learned English.) “The author’s detailed and vibrant gouache paintings are framed as pictures in an album, reflecting the festive spirit of a real Hispanic community. Crosthwaite’s excellent Spanish rendition maintains the savor and rhyme of the original text and its clever wordplay, making the story enjoyable in both languages. Drawings of alphabet cubes serve as dividers between the texts.”–“Kirkus Reviews”
Juanito loves to count, and what could be more fun than giving and counting kisses! Children’s book author Lee Merrill Byrd was inspired to write Juanito Counts to Ten when she watched her four-year-old grandson Johnny. He was so happy and full of life that he was dishing out kisses to everybody. He kissed his mother, his father, Stray Gray the Cat, and, of course, his grandmother! He was so happy he even kissed his bossy big sister.
A cumulative tale in which Papa Luis’s family and friends make preparations for his birthday fiesta, complete with pinata, cake, and a clown.